TWO "cold-blooded" killers found guilty of brutally murdering Bidford woman Bethany Hill have been jailed for life.

A jury at Warwick Crown Court returned guilty verdicts against Kayleigh Woods and Jack Williams.

The jury deliberated for just over nine hours.

Miss Hill, former pupil at Bidford Primary School, aged 20, was killed by Woods, aged 23, of Hertford Road, Stratford, and Williams, also formerly of Bidford, aged 21, who was said to have been living with her at the time.

They both denied the sadistic murder which took place last February.

Miss Hill’s body was discovered by police and paramedics in the bathroom of Woods’s ground-floor flat, where she was also living, after a 999 call from Woods at just after 7pm.

But by then her blood-soaked body had been lying in the flat for more than 12 hours after her wrists and ankles had been bound with tape and her throat had been cut.

During the trial, Woods claimed Miss Hill  had ‘always been suicidal’ and had drunk bleach that morning.

Williams said when he arrived Miss Hill was unconscious in bed, and Woods told him she had given Miss Hill pills, about 60 of them, including anti-depressants and ‘sleepers,’ and made her drink bleach.

He later changed his story to say he came round from a blackout covered in blood with a knife in his hand, which was then thrown into the river.

He said he could not say whether he had killed Miss Hill or not, but that if he did it had not been intentional.

Following the verdict, a victim impact statement was read out on behalf of Miss Hill’s parents and sister.

It read: “On February 3rd 2015 our lives were changed forever when our beautiful Beth was taken from us.”

The family described Beth’s death as being like a bad dream from which they expected to wake up and said they are still trying to come to terms with her loss.

They described Beth as a fun-loving girl who was a joy to be around.

Following the sentencing, senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Neal Candelent from Warwickshire Police Major Investigation Unit said: "Bethany's murder was a cold-blooded killing of an entirely innocent young woman in the prime of her life, for which Woods and Williams have shown no remorse.

"We may never fully know what happened in the hours leading up to her death, but we know that Bethany was held against her will before being brutally murdered.

"I would like to pay tribute to Bethany's family. Throughout the initial investigation and in the weeks and months since, they have shown immense dignity and courage. I hope that they will be able to take comfort from the fact Woods and Williams will be behind bars and will not be able to cause harm to another family.

"I would also like to thank the prosecution team, police officers and staff who worked so hard to investigate this dreadful crime and to bring these two individuals to justice. An incredible amount of dedication and professionalism has gone in to helping secure today's convictions.”

The pair have been told they must serve a minimum term of 26 years in prison before any consideration is made for release.